New bypass driving changes for church

For at least 120 years, members of Eskridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 634 Washburn Switch Road, Shelby, have worshiped in the same location.

Jackie Bridges / Staff Writer

For at least 120 years, members of Eskridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 634 Washburn Switch Road, Shelby, have worshiped in the same location.

Now, with construction work on the U.S. 74 Bypass finally a reality, the church's 150 members have some tough decisions to make.

"We always thought the bypass wouldn't happen in our lifetime," church member Fulvio Brooks said. "But every Sunday we go to church there is something different, like houses torn down."

To make way for the four-lane highway and a cloverleaf intersection, the N.C. Department of Transportation bought and demolished the church parsonage and another house near the church. They also took the land across the road where church members parked and purchased a strip of land in front of the church, but they didn't purchase the church or its property, which has a cemetery with a grave dating back to 1898.

Design determines properties purchased

David Angel, right-of-way agent in the Department of Transportation's 12th Division, said the state's Roadway Design department determines what properties are purchased by the state.

"Whatever structure is inside the right-of-way, we are required to purchase and we have to pay monies to relocate the owners or any materials inside the property," he said.

Before the road is designed, the public has input during public hearings, Angel said. Once Roadway Design draws the plans, they are given to right-of-way agents and "we go to work," he said.

Angel said the N.C. Department of Transportation had two or three meetings with the church.

"We made several provisions to help out the church," he said. "We reduced the easements to stay clear of the cemetery. The church is close to the existing right-of-way now."

The shoulder of the new four-lane highway will be even closer to the church's front porch. Pastor Strickland Maddox said noise from the traffic will disturb services, and the new traffic pattern will be inconvenient, but parking is the main concern.

"Somebody suggested we park in the cloverleaf," he said, adding he didn't know if they were being serious or not.

Blocked in by the railroad

The church owns another piece of land with a picnic shelter, but four railroad tracks make access difficult. If they want to continue meeting in the current church building, they have to find a way to safely cross the tracks.

They wrote to N.C. Rep. Tim Moore and U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry. An assistant for Moore said he would look into the situation and McHenry's office said the senator had nothing to do with the bypass, church members said. Maddox and other church leaders, Deacon chairman Charles Jamerson and Trustee Darrell Brantley, met with the Department of Transportation to discuss possible solutions to getting across the railroad tracks.

"None of the suggestions were acceptable," Maddox said. "One was to build a bridge that would be ours to maintain. We can't do that. The other was to use the farm crossing down the road, but the train comes whenever it wants to and will sit there for 10 to 12 hours."

Train engineers use the side tracks for required rest periods, he said. One Sunday they were having a picnic at the shelter and a train came through and stopped, leaving people stranded.

"They say to call them two weeks ahead when we are going to have something, but I've tried that and they still park the train," he said.

The last solution was for the church to construct a gated crossing, which would cost $230,000.

Preserving history for the future

The church can't afford to build the crossing, and with no other possible solutions forthcoming, members know moving might be the only option, Maddox said.

Their 120th anniversary celebration Sunday has greater significance, and when they recently discovered the church might have been founded four years earlier, they have a sense of urgency about preserving an accurate history.

"We want the young people to know their heritage," anniversary committee chairwoman Jacqueline Barnes said.

Brooks said that while church members are sad about leaving the historic building and cemetery behind, they understand the need for a new bypass.

"We understand that change comes and progress is needed," Brooks said. "God will make a way and life goes on. He brought us 120 years and it was a lot rougher than this."

More about the church:

Eskridge Grove Missionary Baptist Church will celebrate its 120th anniversary Sunday, but while preparing for the celebration, church members discovered a descrepancy in the history that could mean the church is 124 years old. Read more here: http://www.shelbystar.com/news/local/deeds-could-mean-eskridge-grove-is-124-years-old-1.201727

Check out bypass construction

Visit shelbystar.com and scroll down the videos tab on the main page for a view of construction on the bypass in western Cleveland County.